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Brandon Moss homered in the 4th to get the scoring started, before the Nats got 3 back in the bottom half to take the lead for good: Harper had a run scoring single, while Ramos added a 2 RBI single. Cards got the bases loaded with 1 out in the 7th with the same 3-1 score, but could only get 1 on a Matt Adams sac fly to get within 1, and then the Nats blew it open from there for the final 7 runs of the game. Rendon had a solo homer, and Werth had a grand slam in the 7th before Ramos finished the scoring with a 2 run homer in the 8th. Strasburg (9-0) allowed 6 hits in 6 innings with 1 run (on a homer), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Perez (6th hold) and Rivero (10th hold) combined to pitch the 7th and each record a hold when it was still a save situation, combined to allow 2 hits, 1 run with 0 walks and 0 strikeouts. Michael Wacha (2-6) took the loss and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.

Cardinals open up a 3 game series in Milwaukee which begins on Monday, while the Nats will head up to Philadelphia for a 3 game series against the Phillies. Tanner Roark (3-4, 2.71) takes the ball for the Nats and he'll be opposed by Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.97) who takes the ball for the Phillies. Game time slated for 7:05.

Hey, the Phillies actually lost a 1 run game! That's almost as rare as a blue moon! Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson laid down a sac bunt suicide squeeze in the 2nd to put the Phillies up 1-0, and the Nats (Murphy) and Phillies (Freddy Galvis) each added solo home runs in the 4th & 6th to put the Fightin's up 2-1. Werth singled in the 8th to tie the game, and Murphy added the game-winning 2 run single later in the frame. Phillies had back-to-back doubles to begin the 9th from Mikeal Franco & Ryan Howard, but Howard could advance no further. Tanner Roark (4-4) pitched 7 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits (1 homer) with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Rivero (11th hold) pitched a 1-2-3 8th with 2 strikeouts, while Papelbon (14th save) gave up the 2 leadoff doubles, but struck out 2 of the next 3 hitters to lock down the save. Hellickson pitched 7 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits (1 homer) with 8 strike outs and 0 walks. Hector Neris (1-2, 1st blown save) pitched 2/3's of an inning allowing 3 runs on 2 hits with 1 strike out and 3 walks.

Tuesday:

Nats 5 @ Phillies 1.

Werth homered 2 batters into the game to stick it to his old fans. Cesar Hernandez tied the game in the 3rd tripling with 0 outs, but the Phillies could not advance him home for the 2nd run which came back huge later. Murphy broke the tie in the 6th with another home run, and then the Nats added 2 home runs in the 9th to break the game open. Espinosa added a traditional home run, while Stephen Drew followed with an inside-the-park variety to deep center field. Aaron Nola (4-4) allowed 5 hits, 2 runs (2 homers) with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk in 6 innings and suffered the loss. Joe Ross (5-4) pitched 7 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 run with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Rivero (12th hold) pitched a 1-2-3 8th and struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced. Papelbon allowed 1 run and 1 strikeout in the 9th, but due to the 3 runs in the top half, that was a no-save situation.

Nats go for the sweep on Wednesday. Phillies give the ball to Adam Morgan (1-3, 6.67) and the Phillies will take their hacks against the $215 million home run machine known as Max Scherzer (5-4, 4.05). Did you know 4 of the 5 Nats starters have ERA's under 3.60?? Up until Gio got bombed by the Cards on Saturday night 4 of the 5 Nats starters had ERA's under 3.00. Want another fact you may not know about the 2016 Nats rotation?? Take out Gio's most recent start, and Roark's first 3 starts of the year against the Marlins, and the rest of the Nats rotation would have ERA's in the 2's the whole year?? Ross & Strasburg haven't had their ERA above 2.95 so far this year, while Gio's got his high (3.57) due to his recent blow up against the Cards, and the only 3 times Roark was in the 3's was after his first 3 starts against the Fish sticks. So I'd say that's pretty damn good when your $215 million ace has the worst numbers of the crew. Looking forward to seeing all the battles against the Mets this year really with those 2 staffs 1 run is probably the difference in those games. About time the Nats rotation gets the accolades the Mets staff has, they've been just as good if not better then the 5 from Queens.

Zim double in the first scored Murphy, a Ramos single in the 4th bringing home Rendon, and a Zim sac fly in the 7th bringing home Murphy which finished the scoring for the Nats on the day brought in 3 runs, while the other 4 runs came in the 6th. A 3 run homer by Ramos put the Nats up 5-0 and blew the game open and 2 batters later Espi homered. Tyler Goeddel hit a 2 run homer in the 7th to put the Phils on the board and conclude the scoring for the day. Scherzer (6-4) pitched 8 innings allowing 5 hits, 2 runs (1 homer), 2 walks, and 11 strikeouts. Adam Morgan (1-4) pitched 6 innings allowing 6 runs (2 homers) on 9 hits, with 0 walks, and 6 strikeouts.

Nats have today off in Cincinnati, and will be well rested before opening a 3 game set in the Queen City beginning Friday. Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.57) takes the ball for the Nats, and he'll be opposed by Brandon Finnegan (1-4, 4.14), with a game time at 7:10. While the Nats have today off in Cincinnati, the Reds have an 8:40 eastern start time in Denver against the Rockies this evening. Phillies stay at home and open up a 4 game series against the Brewers which begins tonight.

Not sure what it is about the Reds, but they've fallen to 3-9 the last 12 games against Cincinnati. Reds scored the first 5 runs: Eugenio Suarez single, Zach Cozart single & Brandon Phillips single brought home 4 runs in the 2nd, and than Suarez added a solo blast in the 3rd to make it 5-0. Werth homered in the 7th to make it 5-1, before Cozart got the homer back in the bottom half to restore the 5 run lead. Revere ground out in the top of the 8th and an Adam Duvall homer in the bottom half lead to our final 2 runs of the game. Sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windshield. In this case, we were the bug this evening. 5 through 8 in the Reds lineup went 7-16 with 3 RBI's and 6 of the 7 runs scored. Gio (3-4) pitched 6 innings allowing 5 runs on 9 hits (1 homer), with 8 strikeouts and 0 walks. Brandon Finnegan (2-4) pitched 6.1 allowing 1 run (a homer) on 5 hits, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Second game goes today at 4:10. Stephen Strasburg (9-0, 2.69) takes the ball for the Nats, and he'll be opposed by journeyman Dan Straily (3-2, 3.43) who is having a renaissance year in the Queen City. Outside of his start at Coors Field on Monday which bloated his ERA, he has yet to allow more than 3 earned runs in a start this year.

Well, make that 10 losses in 13 games against the Reds. There were 9 runs scored in this game and all 9 runs came on home runs. The time of this game (2:38) was barely over an hour longer than the 2 combined rain delays in this game (1:35 total; 20 minutes after the 5th, and 65 minutes in the bottom of the 8th). Rendon had a 2 run blast in the first to put the Nats up 2-0, Jay Bruce got the Reds back within 1 with a solo blast in the bottom half, and after the first rain delay Joey Votto hit a 2 run blast to put the Reds up 3-2. Espinosa tied it in the 8th with his own solo blast, and the first batter after the 2nd delay Adam Duvall got the Reds their 7th straight win in this lopsided series with a 3 run homer. Both starters were non-factors in this game: Strasburg pitched 5.1 with 3 runs, 4 hits (2 homers), 2 walks and 10 strikeouts while Dan Straily pitched 7 innings of 2 hit, 2 run ball (1 homer) with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks and was in line for his 4th win until ex-Nat Ross Ohlendorf blew it by allowing Espinosa's tying home run. Rivero (0-2) pitched 2/3's on an inning with 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 strikeout and took the loss even though Shawn Kelley allowed the home run to Duvall. Ohlendorf (4-4, 1st blown save) allowed 1 run and 1 hit (Espi home run) along with 1 walk in 1 inning. Tony Cingrani (5th save) pitched a 1-2-3 9th to lock down the win.

Reds go for their 8th straight win and 3rd straight sweep in the series Sunday afternoon. Jon Moscot (0-3, 7.13) takes the ball for the Reds while Tanner Roark (4-4, 2.70) gets the ball for the Nats. Game time at 1:10.

Phew! What a big sigh of relief this game was. Reds scored 5 runs in the 2nd with 3 scoring on an Ivan De Jesus double, and then Tyler Holt brought home the final 2 on a single. Nats tied it up in the 4th: Murphy & Ramos had back to back home runs to get the lead to within 2, Stephen Drew, pinch hitting for Tanner Roark cut the lead to 1 with a single, and then Revere tied it with a single. Nats ultimately took the lead for good in the 5th on a Rendon fielders choice which scored 2 (1 scoring on an error), and then Robinson added a sac fly. Back to back singles by Murphy & Ramos in the 6th would get the Nats to 10 runs, and boy would they need all 10 of those. Jay Bruce got the lead back to 2 with a 3 run homer in the 7th, and Philips added a run scoring double (following a Holt single & Joey Votto walk) in the 9th. After intentionally walking Bruce to load the bases with 0 outs, Papelbon & the Nats were staring at an 8th straight loss & 3rd straight sweep at the hands of the Reds. But Papelbon got Adam Duvall to pop up to short, Zach Cozart to strike out, and De Jesus to fly out to deep center.....which would have tied the game if that came within the first 2 batters, but luckily that was the final out as they escaped the Queen City with 1 win, albeit by the skin of their teeth. Both starters: Roark & Jon Moscot were roughed up combining for 10 runs on 12 hits (2 homers) with 6 strikeouts, and 2 walks in 6 2/3's innings pitched. Daniel Wright (1-1) relieved Moscot and was almost as ineffective allowing 3 runs (only 1 was earned however) on 4 hits with 0 walks and 0 strikeouts in 1.1 innings. Sammy Solis (1-1) relieved Roark and allowed only 1 hit & 1 walk with 6 strikeouts in the 3 innings he relieved Roark to pick up the win. Kelley (5th hold) pitched 1 2/3's hitless innings with 2 strikeouts, while Papelbon (15th save) allowed 2 hits, and 2 walks (1 intentional) with 1 strikeout and 1 run in the 9th to escape.

Both teams have an off day Monday and will return to the field on Tuesday evening. Nats make their second trip to the Windy City, this time to face the AL team the White Sox for a 3 game interleague series. Nats will hand the ball to Joe Ross (5-4, 2.36) while the White Sox are TBA. It's Mat Latos's (6-1, 4.02) turn in the rotation, but the team just acquired James Shields (2-7, 4.28 with Padres) on Saturday from San Diego, who coincidently also last started the same day Latos last did, which is last Tuesday, the 31. Shields will make his debut sometime in this series, probably Wednesday night taking the rotation spot of Miguel Gonzalez (0-1, 3.93) as Gonzalez pitched out of the bullpen on Sunday afternoon. Unless it was his throw day and the White Sox ran out of relievers (doubtful with the off day Monday) it would be a surprise to see him pitch out of the bullpen with a start coming up. FWIW, ESPN has Shields starting Tuesday, and Gonzalez starting Wednesday, but I'm guessing it's Latos starting Tuesday and Shields starting Wednesday. Reds will stay at home, and welcome the division rival Cardinals into the GAB for a 3 game set.

At least this trip to Chicago is going better than the last one to Chicago last month. White Sox got 2 in the first off of Joe Ross with a Jose Abreu single and a bases loaded walk to J.B. Shuck made it 2-0. A Rendon double and an Espi groundout tied the score at 2 in the second, and in the bottom half an Adam Eaton sac fly put the White Sox back in front 3-2, and Todd Frazier added a 2 run homer to make it 5-2, but from there it was all Nats. Rendon 2 run homer in the 4th got the Nats back to within 1, and a Harper 2 run double in the 5th put the Nats in front for good at 6-5, and they'd finish the scoring in the 6th. Taylor double got them to 8-5, Harper sac fly made it 9-5, and a Ramos bases loaded walk brought in the final run of the game. Ross pitched 4 innings allowing 5 runs on 4 hits (1 homer) with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. Treinen (3-1) pitched 3 scoreless innings with 2 hits, 3 walks and 1 strikeout to pick up the win. Mat Latos (6-2) pitched 4.1 allowing 6 runs on 5 hits (1 homer) with 4 walks and 1 strikeout.

Wednesday:

Nats 11 @ White Sox 4.

Put on their hitting shoes again as they scored 7 runs in the first 3 innings, and never looked back scoring the first 11 of the game before the White Sox made a late charge in the 9th which fell about 4 batters away from being a serious threat. Murphy single, Ramos groundout (which should've been an infield single), and Zimmerman 2 run homer made it 4-0 in the first. Drew & Espi had back-to-back home runs to right in the 2nd to make it 6-0, while Rendon lead off the 3rd which knocked newcomer James Shields out of the game to a chorus of boo's, and he came around to score later in the inning on a Revere single to make it 7-0. Werth added the final 3 RBI's, a 3 run homer in the 8th and an RBI groundout in the 9th off of positional player Shuck. White Sox added all 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th: Melky Cabrera double, Avasail Garcia 2 run single, and an Eaton single brought home the final run. Scherzer (7-4) picks up the win allowing 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts in 7 innings while James Shields (0-1, 2-8 overall between White Sox & Padres) allows 7 runs, on 8 hits (3 homers), with 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts in 2+ innings (he pitched to 1 batter in the 3rd), and gets boo'd off the mound in his Chicago debut. You know it's never good when you allow more runs (7) then outs you record (6).

Nats go for the sweep, and a 3-4 record through the city of Chicago this year, and this will be the matchup of the Gonzalez's: The White Sox's Miguel (0-1, 3.93) who did lose his spot in the White Sox rotation but is making this start because Carlos Rodon complained of neck discomfort and is missing this start. The Nats counter with their Gonzalez Gio (3-4, 3.94). This is how good Gio's first 8 starts were. Through his last 3 he's compiled a 10.34 ERA, but he hasn't had the ERA rise above 4 yet. Game time slated for 8:10 PM.

White Sox scored all 3 runs in the first with a Melky Cabrera 2 run double, and a Bret Lawrie double. Murphy homered in the 5th for the Nats lone run of the game. They had first & 3rd with 2 outs in the 9th with Murphy at the plate, but Cabrera made a great play in LF to end the game, and the White Sox's and Miguel won the battle's of the Gonzalez'. The White Sox's Miguel (1-1) allowed 1 run on 3 hits (1 homer) with 0 walks and 5 strikeouts in 6 innings. Zach Duke (12th hold) and Nate Jones (13th hold) combined to pitch 2 hitless innings with 3 strikeouts and David Robertson (14th save) allowed 2 hits in the 9th with 1 strikeout but locked down the win. Gio (3-5) allowed 3 runs on 5 hits with 2 walks and 10 strikeouts in 7 innings. Take out the first inning (all 3 runs, 2 walks, 2 hits), and the rest of the game he allowed 2 hits, 0 walks, and had 10 strikeouts. Would've been a pretty good line, unfortunately he put us in a hole that first inning and they couldn't recover.

Nats finish up a 6-3 road trip, and will head home for a 3 game series with the Phillies beginning on Friday. Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.80) starts for the Phillies, and he'll be opposed by Stephen Strasburg for the Nats (9-0, 2.85). Game time slated for 7:05. White Sox stay home and welcome the struggling World Champs the Royals, losers of 7 straight, into town for a 3 game weekend set beginning on Friday.

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